Device for lifting and lowering telpher-cars.



H. MfiLLBR.

DEVIUE FOR LIFTING AND LOWBRING TELPHER CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1912.

Patented July so, 1912.

2 BKBET8-SHBET 1.

COLUMBIA PLA-NOORAPH 130-. WASHINGTON, D c.

H. MTI'LLBR. DEVICE FOR LIPTING AND LOWERING TBLPHER CARS. APPLICATION FILED JAILG, 1912.

1,034, 1 37. Patented July 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET TamlLa/m-auwr.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN Mll'LLER, OF LEIPZIG-GOHLI-S, GERMANY, ASSIGNOER TO THE FIRM 0F ADOLF BLEICI-IERT & (10., OF LEIPZIG, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR LIFTING AND LO'WEBING- TELPHER-GARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. July 30, 1912.

Application filed January 6, 1912;. Serial No. 669,813..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMANN MiiLLEn, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 1 Jagerstrasse, Leipzig-Gohlis, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Lifting and Lowering Telpher-Gars, of which the following is a specification.

In order to raise telpher-cars automatically and at regular periods from one level to another, a hauling rope in continuous motion has heretofore been employed. In these devices, the cars are automatically coupled at the top or bottom of the inclined section and automatically detached at the other end in order to proceed under current. These inclined sections with hauling ropes are, however, disadvantageous in that they occupy a large space and necessitate costly and extensive steel structural work.

In carrying out my invention, I therefore employ a spiral elevator, by which the cars are propelled upwardly on a fixed spiral rail by a second rail in constant rotation. The cars standing in front of the elevator are automatically caused to enter it by a device actuated by the push-rail and are uniformly spaced by the rotations of this pushrail. Q

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show, in elevation and ground plan, an arrangement of the spiral elevators for raising the cars, with a device on the push-rail for causing the cars to enter-at a predetermined time. Figs. 3 and l show the upper end of an elevator for lowering the cars, with a device for bringing the cars without any shock on to the drag-rail at exactly the proper time.

In the drawings, 1 is the fixed spiral running rail on which the cars travel, and 2 is the push-rail which is connected by arms 3 to a shaft 4:, which by suitable means is caused to rotate continuously. The carriage is illustrated by 5, 5 and 5", and the conveying buckets of the telpher-cars by 6, 6 and 6". The spiral shaped push-rail, as shown in F 1 and 2 has the advantage that, with its use, engagement with the carriage may be made at any desired point, because itpasses free bet-ween the carriage 5 and the car-bucket 6. The push-rail may, however, be straight, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1, or it may be of some other form.

In the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a car 5 has stopped within the elevator ust in front of the rising section, with the push-rail 2 approaching it, but, before coming into contact with the thrust-roller 7 of the car, the lug. 8 secured on the rail 2 throws the switch 9' and thereby connects the two contacts 10 and 11. In so doing, a circuit is closed from the positive conductor through the contacts 10 and 11 to the sectional conductor 12, with which the current collector of the car 5 contacts for the time being. There is, then, an acceleration in the speed of the car, which is then held by the push-rail 2, which has come into contact with the roller 7 and pushed by it up the spiral track. A; spring then returns the arm of the switch 9" to its original position, and reopens the circuit to the conductor 12. The rotation of the push-rail, by means of lug 8, then throws a cross-arm switch 13, which completes a circuit from the source of current to the conductor section 15 over the line 14, so that the car 5, which has stopped in the position indicated, is put into motion, and comes to a standstill on the conductor section 12 which is cut out of circuit. The lug 8 on the push-rail 2 then throws the cross-arm switch 16, whereby the circuit to conductor section 15 is again interrupted, so that the next following car, which is brought upby any well-known automatic block system, must come to a standstill in the position in which car 5 is shown, and each succeeding car is moved in the same manner. If the device is arranged in exactly the same way at the entrance to the elevator for the descending cars there is the danger that the car, because of irregularities in the action of the brakes, or other causes, will enter the elevator either too soon or too late, and must therefore travel over a longer or shorter distance on the inclined traveling rail before meeting the drag-rail. This would create heavy shocks and might lead to derailments and damage. But, according to my invention, a mechanical device in positive connection with the drag-rail may be employed, so as to conduct 'each car into the elevator at the proper m0- m'ent. An illustration of this is given in Figs. 3 and 4. A drag-chain 19, on which there is a lug 20, is connected with the rotary axle 4 of the elevator by the bevelgears 17 and 18. The gear and length of the chain are designed so that the lug 20 returns to an initial position once during every revolution or predetermined portion of a revolution of the drag-rail.

The operation is then as follows: A telpher-car 21 traveling in the direction of the arrow runs off the slide conductor, and stops owing to the action of a brake set at somepoint in the section not supplied with cur-- rent. The car remains standing there until engaged by the lug 20, and is then pushed into the elevator at exactly the proper time. The car therefore always runs on to the spiral just behind the drag-rail, without regard to the distance it may have run without current before stopping. If it is desired to transfer the cars to several levels, separate spiral elevators can be arranged be tween the several levels. On arrival, for instance, at the first level, the cars are either directed to their destination, or transferred to the second elevator, as shown in Fig. 1, the various spirals may be arranged one above the other and with the same axle, and are connected together by switches, whereas the push-rail 2 is used in common for the various spirals, so thatonly one drive is required. If the switch-tongue 22 is open, as at the branch 24,the cars cross to the horizontal rail, but if closed as at 23, the cars travel on to a higher level.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lifting and lowering device for telpher-cars and in combination a spiral track connecting a plurality of preferably horizontal tracks at dii'ferent levels, a rotating push-rail to guide the telpher-cars in either direction, means for automatically stopping the telpher-cars and means for starting the same in accordance with the movement of the push-rail.

2. In a lifting and lowering device for telpher-cars and in combination a spiral track connecting a plurality of preferably horizontal tracks at diiferent levels, a rotating push-rail to guide the telpher-cars in either direction, means for guiding the cars mechanically into the lowering track and driving means connecting this guiding mechanism to the rotary axle of the push-rail.

8. In a lifting and lowering device for telpher-cars and in combination a spiral track connecting a plurality of preferably horizontal tracks at diiferent levels, a pushrail rotating within the spiral track and guiding the telpher-cars in either direction, a drag-chain having a lug fixed thereto to drive the telpher-cars before entering the spiral lowering track, a bevel-gear on the rotary axle of the drag-chain driving pulley, a bevel-gear on the rotary axle of the push-rail and meshing with the aforesaid bevel gear, and electrical means for starting the telpher-cars before entering the spiral lifting track.

4. In a lifting and lowering device for -telpher-cars and in combination a spiral track connecting a plurality of preferably horizontal tracks at different levels, a pushrail rotating within the spiral track and guiding the telpher-cars in either direction, an endless drag-chain having a driver fixed thereto, pulleys for the drag-chain, a bevelgear on the rotary axle of the drag-chain driving pulley meshing with a bevel-gear on. the rotary axle of the push-rail, an electrical switch actuated by a lug fixed to the pushrail inclosing the telpher-car in a circuit for starting and accelerating the same before being pushed up the spiral by the push-rail, resilient means for returning the switch and means for starting the telpher-cars and carrying the same to the lifting position.

5. In a lifting and lowering device for telphercars and in combination a spiral track connecting a plurality of preferably horizontal tracks at different levels, a pushrail rotating within the spiral track and guiding the telpher-cars in either direction, an endless drag-chain having a driver fixed thereto, pulleys for the drag-chain, a bevelgear on the rotary axle of the drag-chain -driving pulley and meshing with a bevelgear on the rotary axle of the push-rail, an electrical switch actuated by a lug fixed to the push-rail for closing a circuit for starting and accelerating a telpher-car before the same is pushed up the spiral track by the push-rail, a resilient member opening the said switch after the same has been closed by the lug, and two cross-arm switches actuated by the lug fixed on the push-rail, the one closing and the other opening a circuit to the telpher-cars which are successively moved thereby to the lifting position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMANN MULLER.

Witnesses RUDOLPH FRICKE, Gnone Unnron.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

